Marine propulsion



. J. MCP. BOWLES.

MARINE PROP'ULSION.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 22, |921.

Patented Dec. 20, 1921.

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A TTORNEYLS j. MCP. BOWLES. MARINE PROPULSION.

APPLICATION FlLEnJuLY 22. |921.

Patented Deb.v 20, 1921.

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WMM-vg, fr ATTORNEYS JERRE MCPHAL BVILES, 0F .ATLNT GEORGE MQSES BARID, F

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GEORGZA, ASSIGNOR `0F ONE-THIRD T0 iJiiS-INGTON, DESTBCT OF COLUMBIA.

tannins recenseren.

Application iled ."J'uly $32,'

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that l, Jnnnn McPHAiL Bowiins, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and ,useful improvements in llflarine Propulsion; and l do hereby declare the fol lowing` to be a full, clear7 and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to means for utilizing the energy developed by the rolling` motion of a marine vessel to propel or assist in propelling` the vessel.

lts object is to provide suitable propeller vanes which automatically adjust them-v selres as the vessel rolls and so utilize thresistance of the water to advance the vessel; other objects are to enable the propeller to be withdrawn into the hull when desired; to limit the movements of the propeller without the use of stops on the hull; to limit adjustw ably the angles to which the propellervanes may swing; to improve the design of the propeller vanes and to otherwise improve the details of structure as more fully set forth in the ensuing' description, illustrated in the drawings and defined in the appended claims.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figurel l is a fore and aft section of as iuch of a marine vessel as is necessary to illustrate my invention;

Figi: 2 is a transverse section of a frag'- ment of a hull disclosing` my 'improvement in place;

Fig'. 3 isa diagrammatic View of two propeller venes the associated stop mechanisim and the mechanism for raising and lowering said propeller vanes;

Fig. l is top plan view of a propeller vane; y ,Y

5 is a diagrammatic elevation of a vessel showing the propellers extended;

Fig. G is a similar View showing` the propellers retracted; Y

Fig. 7 is a bottom plan view of the vessel shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an elevation of a peculiar form of set screw used to fix the length of the stopv link.

Like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views. y

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Deo. 20, 1921.

1921. serial No. 486,764.

ln the embodiment illustrated l indicates the hull of a marine vessel, 2 the keel thereof and 3 the main deck.

As shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 the propelling mechanism is centrally located substantially amidship. Referring' to Figyl, characters 4 and Ll indicate shaft wells extending perpendicularly substantially through the hull. The lower portions of each shaft well, as at 5 and 5a7 are cut away on the after sides and openl inte propeller-wells 6 and l5, the propeller-well 6 opening through the bottom into the sea on the port or left hand side of the keel 2 and the propeller-well 6LL opening into the sea on the starboard or right hund side of the keel. By this disposition of the shaft wells and propeller wells, cutting or modifying` the structure of the keel is unnecessary. ln each of the shaft wells there is an upper circular bearing 7 secured by pins 7@ or otherwise, firmly at the upper end of said shaft well at or above thesurface of the main deck 3. Agt the lower end or bottom of each shaft well and secured to the forward wall thereof is a half bearing 8, while disposed between the said bearing` 7 and half` bearing 8 is a second half bearing 9 suitably secured to the after side of each shaft well at the lower end of the complete cylindrical portion of said wells. Journaled perpendicularly in each shaft well and enthe bearings i', 8 and 9 is a propeller l ,ft l0 or 10a. These shafts are adapted to rotate freely in the bearings 7, 8 and 9 and to slide longitudinally therein so as to adjust their position vertically. The shafts l0, l0 are preferably tubular in order that adequate rigidity and strength may he secured without excessive weight. yRigidly se cured to the after side at the lower end of each shaft lO, l0 is a propeller ll, 11u. These'propellers are of great strength each consisting, preferably, of an open metallic frame work to which are riveted metallic plates l2 as shown. `is indicated in Figs. l

and l it is preferred to make the propellerllO the pitch ot the propeller vanes or the inpurpose ot this variation in taper is te secure the most eilective action oit the water upon said vane, as the arc ot inovenientot the lower portion of the vane during' the rolling motion ot the vessel is greater than the arc ot movement or" the upper portion tliereot.

ln order to limit the oscillation ot the propeller vanes during the rolling movement of the vessel l prefer the following mechanisrn: At the upper end oit the shaft 10 is secured a crank 13 which projects trom shaft 10 `lroin the same side as the propeller 11. Secured to the upper end of the shaft 10a is a crank 152l which projects from the side of said shaft 10a opposite that oi' the propeller vane 11%V As the propeller venes are not exactly on the inidship tore and plane, but are on opposite sides et the keel, the cranks are disposed at slight angie to the propeller vanes and in such relation to said vanes that, when said cranks are in alinement with each other, so that a line connecting the centers of shaft-s 10 and 1()a at the points of connection et said cranks thereto bisects said cranks longitudinally, each propeller vane Jthen rests in a tore and att plane, the stop links then extending in alinement with said crank-s at an acute anale to the keel.

Connected to the crank pin 1*-lon the crank 13 is a slotted link section 15.v the pin 14 enlgagingin the slot ot said link section. A. similar link section 15a is shown similarly connected to the crank pin 142 of the crankla.- rllhe outer ends ot saidlink sections 15 and 15"L are threaded oppositelv, the section 15 being shown in the illustra,- tion as having1 a right hand thread and the section 15a being shown as having` a lett hand thread. Threaded into the ends ot said link sections 15 and 156L is a screw rod 1o having right hand threads at one end and lett hand threads at the other. Between these threads there preferably mounted a hand wheel 17 by which the threaded rod may befrotated. In order to secure the threaded rod against rotation a pointed set screw 18 is threaded intov the side ot each link so that its point will engage in the spiral Vgroove of the threaded rod. By means of this construction it will (be seen that ir" the set screws 18 are released and the threaded rod is rotated b v means et thehand wheel tothe right, (as shown in 3), the links. 15V and 15a will be drawn togather and whenthey have Vbeen so drawn together-astar as is possible the vanes 11 and 11a cannot oscillate to any material ex- 'rvind" tent and will extend substantially tor and att ot the vessel. By revolving the hand wheel 17 to the lett (as shown in Fig. 8) the link connection `between the cranksv 13 and willbe extended, the slots providing tor a certain amount ot lost motion, and the said vanes 11 and 11at may be Oscillat-ed freely in one direction until the crank pins 1 l Lil" gage the outer ends of the. slots in links 15, 15a whereupon the said vanes can oscillate no farther in that direction. rei/orso oscillation may take place which will be stopped in the saneinanner when the vanes have reached the other side of the center the tore and att perpendicular planes ot the vessel at the same angle at which they were stopped inthe said Erst oscillation. lt will be seen that by this con# struction the extent et oscillation ot the vanes maj,v be determined, or oscillation ot the vanos may oe substantiallj,7 prevented,

and thaL the hull receives no shock Jronr the l1 oscillating vanes. 'lhe extreme length ot the stop link, itvwill be seen, is slightly less than the distance between centers ot shafts 10, 10,

so th t said link in no case permit a movement et the venes through an arc ot more than 180".

The propeller vanes may he raised or lowered within limits in order to assist in teadying` the vessel or to change their repectii/'e ales as may be desired according to the character et' the and the extent ot rolling. To eil'ect tieV vertical adjustment ot the propcllers 11 vand 11a cables, preterably oit steel, il() and 20a, are attached to the shafts 10 and 10 preferably at a-point between the halt bearing 8 and the halt hear- 9, as said shafts are disposed when the propellers are fully projected as shown in li 1. thepresent embodiment the cable ends are attached to pins 21,21a which project through said shatts 10 and 10EL and torrshaft and spaced apart a distance equal to the diameter ot the cable so that during the ot the cable one turn will resten top the other between said disks. Upon the windlass sha-tt there may be a vworm wheel 9A: with which engages a worm 25 secured to vertical shaft 26 upon the upper end ot which is a hand wheel 27. Gearinn; ot the type shown is seltlocking and it nis only necessary toV turn the wheel 27 in the proper direction and to the desired extent to raise or lower the propeller vanes 11, 11a desired and the said vanes will vthen reinainin saidposition. To avoid accidental vertical displacement, however, of the l The bali and l0V forward to retain the shafts in posit said venes l may use a set screw 28 toengage the shaft 26 end prevent occidental movement thereof. ln the construction illnsti ed, by' turning` the hand wheel 2'2" in a oooh- 5 tercloclwise direction? the runes li and may be eleveted'to any extent or me withdrawn entirely into the By rotating the hand wheel wise direction the seid venes may be lowesV l beorings 8 exert no obstruction to the nioVenieirosloli the propellervenes ll and li into the wells andy es the resisten-'e ol the water in the rolling` of the ship tends to thrust the lower ends of seid shafts lll against seid heli bearings 8, there is no danger of the sh disei "iged from seid halll bea' hall bearings 9 permit the shaft to rise vfreely without offering1 any obstro :-V 20 tion to the pins 21 or to the passage or the hoisting' cables 20:, 20a. Pls the shafts l0 :1nd l0 have a tendenoy to bnclrle in a rearward direction where the;7 engage the halt bearing-s 9il seid half be` areffective ion. ln order lo avoid shelling ol? cable 20a on the 'orweid well el., it moy be led over e sheeve 949 mounted on one side ot said well. el, as shown in F 3.

rlhe propeller vanese when projected beheath the hull, Vwill be operative to control the vessel or to assist in propelling the vessel provided the seid vessel has any rolling motion, illssinning that the adjustable linlr stop mechanism hosbeen et to allow s suitable limited osuilletion of the vnnee ll. ind lla it will be ioparent thot as the Vessel rolls to port the i Jnes ll an ll will move bodili7 in the opposite dire 4ionand 4() the resistance oi the rater again them will conse them to oscillete to :t about the axes ol the shafts l0, 10a. The pressure of the water against the obliquely arranged venes will then resist the rolli j vessel and ergert pressure teiidino)` to forro it forward on sobstantisllv the seme orinoiple as that of the sevew propeller. lllhen the vessel rolls to starboard the vanos will sfle will'prodiice a corresponding torwoi-- imjoul, f5 as before. Variations oi the el- 'leots ol2 the Propellers mov be produced by orojgcctinp; them more or less below the bottom. They ore effective in checking' eyes- Jorm now best known to me what l claim and desire to,seciire by Letters Potent is:

i. In marine propulsion mechanismf3 a hull, ay propeller vene directlyv nivoted in an upright position to bearings fixed to said hull, seid vane being disposed directly loeo.' motion o'l y .hoistingdevice comprising a low the bottom of said hull and means for limiting the oscillation of seid propeller vane. Y

2. ln marine propulsion mechenisnfi,V e hull, eerings disposed perpendioiilarly in the hull7 a shaft journaled in said bearing-s so os to oscillate about its longitudinal ams. seid shalt having its lower end projecting below the hull, s propeller vene having); one edge secured to the sheit wholly,7 below the hull7 and means for limiting the oscillatorv movements of the shaft.

ln marine propulsion mechanism, e hull, bearims disposed perpendioularlv in the hull, a sheit journal-ed in seid bearings, said shaft havii'ig` its lower end iur/electing below the hull` a. propeller vene having? one edoe seciired to the lower end ot 'the shalt, wholly below the hull, means for limit-ingr the oscillatory movements of the shaft and means for elevating' or lowering` the shalt.

l. ln marine propulsion mechanism, ahull, bearinpjs disposed neroendicnlerlv ,in the hulL s propeller well onenino; into the bottom ot the hull,n a shaflt ,ionrndled in seid bearing", said shaft having` its lower end projecting below the hnlh a propeller vane having one edge secured to the lower end of the shaltJ` means igor limiting the oscillatorj,y movement of the shaft and means; wherebv the. shait and propeller vane be elevated so as to house the orooeller vene extending from the hoistino device over the cable guide into the shaft welh the end of the cable being secured to the shaft in the shaft well.

6. ln marine propulsion nischenismnl e hull. n shott well arrsnoed i) lr'oendionla'rlv in seid hull, bearings in the shaft well7 sheit mounted in said bearings, seid shalt having its lower end projefting below the V.,.nlli ks proneller vane bovino? one edge secured to the lower end ot said shalt a drum shaft boring a worm wheel secured therefm,l a worm secured to an opere/ting shalt engagthe worm wheel, ond o ileible cable connected to the drum andto said shaft within the shaft well. l

7.111 marine propulsion mechanism, e hull5 a shaft well arranged perpendicularlv in said hull, e propeller well commimicoting with the shaft well at its front end, said propeller well ogening,- through the bottom of the hull, a cylindrical bearing at the upper end of the shaft well, a half bearing' ing; or lowering' the shaft and propeller vane.

8. lin marine propulsion mechanism, a hull, a shaft well Varranged perpendicularlg7 in said hnll, a propeller well having1 its front end communicating' with the shaft well, said propeller well opening throupjh the bottom of the hull. a cylindrical bearing at the upper end of the shaft well., a half bearing secured to the forward side of the lower end Vof the shaft well, an intermediate half bearing' secured to the after side of the shaft well. a shaft iournaled in said bearinpjs, a propeller vane having one edge secured to the lower end of the shaft, means for limitinej the oscillating); motion of the shaft, a hoisting means cfnnprisinp` a cable secured to the shaft at a point between said half .bearings when the is in lowered position for raising' or lowering, the shaft and propeller vvanes.

9. ln marine propulsion mechanism., a hull, shafts journaled perpendicularly 'in said hull, with their lower ends proiecting below the hull, a propeller' vane having one edge secured to the lower end of4 each shaft, and a link Vconnectimfi between said shafts g so as to permit independentoscillation of each`y but constructed to limit the oscillation of Said shafts in each direction.

10. In marine propulsion mechanism, a

hull, oscillatorjyT shafts journaled therein,

Vpropeller vanes secured to said shafts and extending in the same direction therefrom,

a crank arm secured to veach shaft, the crank arm on one shaft extending; in a direction opposite that on the other shaft, and a link having a lost motion connection between the said crank arms for limiting the oscillation thereof.

11. In marine propulsion mechanism, a`

hull, oscillatory shafts jonrnaled therein, propeller vanes secured to said shafts and extending in the sameV direction therefrom, a crank arm secured to each shaft, the crank arm on one shaft extending in a direction opposite that on the other shaft, a link having a lost motion connection between said crank. arms for limiting, the oscillation thereof, and means for taking' up all lost motion orvarying the extent thereof.

k12. ln marine propulsion mechanism, a hull, oscillatory shafts journal-ed therein. propeller vanes secured to said shafts and extending in the same direction therefrom,

a crank arm secured to each shaft, the crank arm on one shaft extendingin a direction opposite that on the other shaft, a link connection between said crank arms comprising a lost motion section and an adjustable memher connecting said lost motion section to the other crank arm. Y

13. ln marine propulsion mechanism, a hnll, oscillatory shafts mounted therein, propeller vanes secured to said shafts and extending` in the same direction therefrom, a crank arm secured to each shaft, the crank arm on one shaft eineendin,e`- in .a direc-tion opposite that on the other shaft, a'lost motion link connection between the said crank arms, said link connection comprising a pair of sections having lost motion connections with the crank arms, and a screw between said connections for taking up or varying` the amount of lost motion.

lll. lin marine propulsion mechanism, a hull, shafts journaled perpendicularly in said hull, said shafts having` their lower ends projecting below said hull, a propeller'vane ,having one edge secured to the lower edgeV of each shaft, a lost motion link connection between said shafts for limiting their oscillations in each direction, a hoisting device and a flexible cable connecting each'shaft to said hoistingdevice.

l5. ln marine propulsion mechanism, a hull., a shaft journaled perpendicularly therein, said shaft having one end Vprojecting below the hull, means for limiting the oscillations of said shaft, a propeller vane i" havingr one edge secured to the'lower end of said shaft.A the sides of said vane converging from the shaft toward the free edge of the vane, the angle of convergence with respect to the central plane increasing from the topl of said vane downward.

16. ln marine propulsion mechanism,v a hull, a shaft journaled perpendicularly therein. said shaft havingone end projecting below the hull, means for limiting the oscillations of said shaft, a propeller vane having one edge secured to the lower end of said shaft, said vane tapering in width from top` to bottom, the sides of said vane converging?, fromthe shaft toward the free edge of the vane, the angle of convergence with 

